By Fineline Cube 
The National Health Commission (NHC) released a notice reporting the status of the county hospital medical service capability evaluation for 2024. The evaluation involved 2,059 hospitals, covering 98.93% of the country. According to the basic and recommended standards for medical service capabilities of county hospitals issued by the bureau in 2016, the evaluation assessed the capabilities of Class 2 and Class 3 hospitals.
Evaluation Results
Among the 2,059 county hospitals participating in the evaluation in 2024, 1,922 (93.35%) met the basic standards, and 1,309 (63.57%) met the recommended standards. This represents an increase of 28 and 146 hospitals, respectively, compared to 2023. The medical service capability continued to improve, with departments related to common and frequently occurring diseases showing further enhancements in establishment, diagnosis, and treatment capabilities.
Key Improvements
The proportion of county hospitals meeting the basic standards for pathology department capabilities saw the fastest growth, increasing by 5.62%. Specialized equipment configurations also advanced steadily, with the national average compliance rate for essential diagnostic and treatment devices reaching 74.24%, up 4.54% from 2023.
Critical Care Capabilities
98.59% of county hospitals can now diagnose and manage critical conditions like heart failure, kidney failure, and respiratory failure. 90.14% have mastered obstetric emergency care, while 97.09% excel in pediatric critical care. 90.97% are equipped to handle polytrauma cases, and 87.32% can perform surgical interventions for traumatic brain injuries.
Healthcare Consortia
Additionally, over 90% of county hospitals serve as leading institutions within county-level integrated healthcare consortia, driving coordinated care across regions. This highlights the ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare delivery and accessibility in rural areas.-Fineline Info & Tech